Bharti Airtel to Launch 3G Services by End of this year (India)

Bharti Airtel Ltd. will launch 3G wireless data services before the end of 2010. Bharti, which won rights to offer 3G services in 13 of India’s 22 telecoms zones. These 13 telecom circles also constitute 68% of Airtel’s revenue market share. This includes key metros such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, which account for 21% of all data traffic in the country and are expected to have the strongest uptake of 3G services

According to the company, Airtel is also in advanced discussions with other quality operators to offer 3G services to its customers across the country.

According to Sanjay Kapoor, CEO, India and South Asia, Bharti Airtel 3G services will mark the beginning of the next phase of India’s telecom growth story and elevate India’s telecom sector at par with most advanced telecom markets in the world. 3G services have the potential to transform the lives of millions of Indians by taking a variety of life enhancing services on high speed broadband to the remotest corners and bridge the digital divide.

Bharti will be deploying high speed HSPA networks provided by Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Network and Huawei.

Public sector telcos BSNL and MTNL are already offering the 3G services.